WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, a Washington D.C.-based research organization, submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regarding its proposed whistleblower incentives and protections rulemaking. The letter advocates for a clarification of the definition of "original information" under 31 CFR 1010.930(a)(8)(iii) to explicitly exclude whistleblower-developed independent analysis from the category of "any other publicly available source." Courtyards Institute cautions that the current more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, a research organization based in New York, NY, submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) addressing concerns about proposed changes to whistleblower incentives and protections outlined in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, RIN 1506-AB57. The letter critiques several key design features of the rule, warning that they could impede whistleblowers' ability to understand and contest agency decisions regarding their tips. The letter focuses on three interrel more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, headquartered in New York, NY, has submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) addressing a critical design flaw in the agency's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on whistleblower incentives and protections. The letter focuses on the proposed 90-day deadline for whistleblowers to file award applications and highlights the absence of any provision allowing for exceptions or notifications to whistleblowers once the filing clock begins. The Institute warns that  more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, based in Washington D.C., submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) addressing proposed whistleblower protections. The letter focuses on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled "Whistleblower Incentives and Protections," emphasizing the need for FinCEN to codify an enforceable anti-impeding provision within its regulatory framework to effectively deter employer-imposed gag clauses. The institute supports sections 1010.930(f)(4) and (f)(5) of the propo more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, based in Washington D.C., has submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regarding the agency's proposed rule on "Whistleblower Incentives and Protections" (31 CFR 1010.930). The letter addresses concerns that the proposal's confidentiality protections could lead to excessive withholding of information on whistleblower award determinations, specifically the award percentages and reasoning behind the awards. The Courtyards Institute highlights a gap in t more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, a Washington D.C.-based research entity specializing in federal whistleblower programs, submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) addressing proposed rules on whistleblower incentives and protections. The letter critically examines FinCEN's attorney-client-privilege exclusion under the new whistleblower regulations outlined in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and urges the agency to recalibrate certain provisions to better balance privilege prot more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, headquartered in Washington D.C., submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regarding the agency's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on "Whistleblower Incentives and Protections." The comment focuses on FinCEN's proposed rules about how culpable whistleblowers are treated under the program, particularly opposing any broadening of the current conviction-only eligibility bar. The Courtyards Institute's letter argues that FinCEN's existing rule, which bars wh more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, headquartered in Washington D.C., submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) addressing a provision in FinCEN's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning "Whistleblower Incentives and Protections." The letter focuses on the 120-day waiting period presented in proposed section 1010.930(c)(5)(iii), arguing that the rule imposes an overly restrictive eligibility gate that disadvantages insiders such as officers or compliance personnel who wish to report viol more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, a Washington D.C.-based research organization specializing in federal whistleblower programs, submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regarding its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on "Whistleblower Incentives and Protections." The letter focuses on the proposal's design of whistleblower award amounts, specifically advocating for judicial review of award determinations as currently excluded under the proposed rules. FinCEN's proposal outlines a mandator more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Courtyards Institute, based in Washington D.C., submitted a public comment letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) addressing the agency's proposed whistleblower rule regarding the aggregation of related smaller enforcement actions into one covered action for award purposes. In the letter, the research organization critiques FinCEN's discretionary approach, arguing it could limit whistleblower incentives and the program's reach. The institute focuses on the aggregation provision in proposed regulat more ST

WASHINGTON, June 5 -- Heartland Stone LLC, a family-owned fabrication and installation business based in Columbia, Missouri, submitted a public comment letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission regarding Investigation No. TA-201-79 on quartz surface products. The company expressed support for fair trade law enforcement but cautioned that significant restrictions on imported quartz slabs could disrupt thousands of American fabrication shops and the housing market. Heartland Stone noted that domestic quartz slab production currently cann more ST